Russia is deeply worried by NATO's pledge to bring Ukraine and Georgia into the alliance, despite its failure to do so immediately, a senior Russian diplomat said Friday.
Sergei Ryabkov, chief of the Russian Foreign Ministry's department for European co-operation criticized NATO's decision Thursday to promise eventual membership to two of Russia's ex-Soviet neighbors. NATO failed to offer the two nations specific membership plans because Germany, France and some other alliance members feared the move would anger Russia.
NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer reassured Ukraine and Georgia Friday there was "not a sliver of a doubt" the two ex-Soviet republics would join the alliance before long.
Russian president Putin has strongly opposed Nato membership for the two countries, as well as the planned American missile defence system in Europe, which the alliance backed on Thursday.
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Do you support the decisions taken at the Nato summit or do you think Russia has genuine reasons to be concerned? What should be the role of Nato in the absence of a rival alliance like Warsaw pact? Are you in Russia or any of the countries seeking Nato membership?
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Sergei Ryabkov, chief of the Russian Foreign Ministry's department for European co-operation criticized NATO's decision Thursday to promise eventual membership to two of Russia's ex-Soviet neighbors. NATO failed to offer the two nations specific membership plans because Germany, France and some other alliance members feared the move would anger Russia.
NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer reassured Ukraine and Georgia Friday there was "not a sliver of a doubt" the two ex-Soviet republics would join the alliance before long.
Russian president Putin has strongly opposed Nato membership for the two countries, as well as the planned American missile defence system in Europe, which the alliance backed on Thursday.
Full story
Do you support the decisions taken at the Nato summit or do you think Russia has genuine reasons to be concerned? What should be the role of Nato in the absence of a rival alliance like Warsaw pact? Are you in Russia or any of the countries seeking Nato membership?
More...